One sentence in the capital budget bill might take away the need for school systems to come before the Governor, Comptroller, and Treasurer to present their proposed school construction projects before they receive state funding for fiscal year 2018.
Language included in the capital budget passed by the General Assembly provides that recommendations of the Interagency Committee on School Construction for fiscal 2018 are not subject to further appeal.
This language may alter the practice of school systems presenting school construction capital projects before the Board of Public Works. The Board of Public Works is made up of the Governor, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer.
According to Dr. David Lever of the Interagency Committee on School Construction, the Committee will meet in late April to discuss the changes as they will affect the FY 2018 Capital Improvement Program applications that will be submitted in the autumn of 2016.
For recent news on the topic of the Board of Public Works and school appeals, see our previous post, School Superintendents: Skip the Politics in School Funding Process.